21 Facts About Warwick

Warwick was chosen as a site for the burh because the local outcrop of sandstone alongside the Avon provided an easily defensible position at a strategic site by the river crossing, with a good source of water and building material.

In 1016 the Danes invaded Mercia and burned down much of Warwick including a nunnery, which stood on the site of today's St Nicholas Church.

Prosperity of medieval Warwick rested on its status as an administrative and military centre, however it was poorly positioned from the point of view of trade, and was consequently never a commercial or industrial centre of more than local significance in medieval times.

Medieval Warwick was controlled by various Earls of Warwick, mostly of the Beauchamp family.

One of the aims of the rebuilding of Warwick following the fire, was to encourage the gentry and professional men to settle in the town, and so impetus was given to rebuilding the town in the then contemporary Georgian style.

Related searches

Daniel Defoe gave his opinion that Warwick had been 'rebuilt in so noble and so beautiful a manner that few towns in England make so fine an appearance'.

In 1788 the Earl of Warwick obtained an Act of Parliament to enable him to build a new bridge over the Avon: Castle Bridge, which consists of a single sandstone arch was opened in 1793.

Borough of Warwick was reformed under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which reconstituted it as a municipal borough with an elected Town Council.

Warwick was largely bypassed by the industrial revolution; during the early 19th century, only minor industrial activities developed in the town, such as hat making.

Warwick Pageant was a major festival in the grounds of Warwick Castle in 1906, organised by Louis N Parker from a house in Jury Street.

In 2021 it was announced that Warwick had entered a competition with 38 other contenders to be awarded city status as part of the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours.

Suburbs of Warwick include Bridge End, Cliff Hill, Emscote, Woodloes Park, Forbes, Myton, Packmores, The Cape, The Percy, Warwick Gates, Chase Meadow and Myton Green.

Warwick Gates is a housing estate and business park in Heathcote, south-east Warwick, which was built in the late 1990s.

Warwick is known for Warwick Racecourse, near the west gate of the medieval town, which hosts several televised horse racing meetings a year.

Warwick Racecourse is located just west of the town centre.

Secondary schools in Warwick include Warwick School, an independent day and boarding school for boys.

Warwick School is an independent school for boys which claims to be the oldest boys' school in England.

Warwick has several council off-street car parks in the town.

The most recent proposals, which would have seen the river linked with the Grand Union Canal at Warwick, failed to win the support of the local council in 2019.

Nearest international airport to Warwick is Birmingham Airport, about 20 miles by road from the town centre.

Town of Warwick has formal twinning arrangements with two European towns:.